Sigiriya - Your Safety & Comfort Dangers of Climbing Sigiriya Rock

Rock Climb

The climb to the summit of Sigiriya is strenuous. There are about 1200 steps. That's roughly equivalent to climbing 60 flights of stairs. It should not be attempted by people who are in poor physical condition. Wear loose, comfortable clothing in a breathable fabric. While some people wear flip-flops when they climb, it is far more sensible to wear a good pair of shoes.

Dehydration

You may sweat profusely in the hot and humid weather around Sigiriya.

Be sure to take a bottle of water to keep yourself hydrated.

The last place to buy water is a canteen near the main entrance. There are no refreshment facilities inside the citadel.

Hornets

Hornets are a constant threat near the Lion Staircase. While attacks are infrequent be cautious especially near their nests which are located on the rock to the left of the Lion Staircase.

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Hornets are susceptible to noise. So be quite. If you are unfortunate enough to be attacked and cant reach safety, squat down and make yourself a smaller target and cover as much of your exposed body as possible.

Elephants

Wild elephants roam the forests around Sigiriya and are known to venture near the perimeter of the site after dusk (They aren't present during the day). They are unpredictable and can be dangerous. While infrequent, incidents with elephants occur every year.

Make sure you leave the area and return to your hotel before dusk (around 6:30PM).

Crocodiles

Now it is very very unlikely that you will have the misfortune of coming into contact with a crocodile. But they do exist around the moats, lake and other watering holes. These breasts may be a remnant population from ancient times when the Sigiriya moats may have been populated with crocodiles to discourage invaders.